[Mnbird] White mallard?

DONALD GRUSSING Owner cdrussin at centurylink.net
Tue Apr 12 13:33:12 CDT 2016


I don't know if this still happens, but a Twin Cities farm supply store used to sell "wild-strain" flying mallard ducklings. Many people bought ducklings there to raise to six weeks of age, and then release. Some of these ducklings grew up to be all white, but with normal eye color -- not albinos. As ducklings you could distinguish them by their absence of the normal striping etc that wild mallards have. I don't know if they are still selling these, but if so, that might explain what you are seeing. 


Of course, actual albinism is possible as well. 


Don Grussing 
Minnetonka 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Robert Van Siclen via Mnbird" <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> 
To: mnbird at lists.mnbird.net 
Sent: Tuesday, April 12, 2016 11:21:58 AM 
Subject: [Mnbird] White mallard? 


I believe I saw an albino mallard in New Brighton, on Stoney Lake, Silver Lake Road between 15th and 17th. One of a pair. The drake was a normal green headed mallard, but the other (the female?) looked white. I was driving and not able to stop - no parking or breakdown lane. The white duck was the same size or a bit smaller than the mallard male, so not the domestic/wild mix you see sometimes. They're always bigger. 

I've never seen albinism in a duck. Does it happen? 




Robert Van Siclen 

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